Picket Scheduled for December 5
For Immediate Release
Contact: Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org
(Mankato, MN) – November 25, 2019 – Members of the Minnesota Nurses Association will take to the streets on Thursday, December 5, 2019 to tell Mayo Clinic Health systems they want hospital management to bargain with nurses in the same room. Nurses have been in negotiations with Mayo on a new three-year contract since September, but management has refused to negotiate with nurse members in the room.
“We’ve repeatedly asked Mayo to negotiate so our nurses can be part of the process,” said Jammie Meyer, a Mankato Registered Nurse and part of the negotiating team. “But Mayo said they won’t talk to us with nurses here. Our nurses care about their contract, and they’re spending their off time at negotiations.”
MNA has filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board against Mayo Clinic Heath system. Mayo has responded with their own charge against MNA for allowing nurse members to participate in the process. A hearing is scheduled for next week, but a decision on the merits of both ULPs may take months.
“Nurses are asking, ‘what does Mayo have to hide?’ and ‘why is Mayo telling nurses it’s the union that won’t bargain?'” said Kelly Rosevold, Registered Nurse and negotiations team member. “We have important issues to talk about with the hospital, including staffing the hospital for our patients and protecting nurses from workplace violence.”
Mankato nurses have been waiting since 9 a.m. today for Mayo to come bargain their contract in front of them. They delivered more than 400 postcards to management that said nurses invite management to “come to the bargaining table.” Mayo refused to comply, and an MNA labor representative had to knock on management’s door to deliver the picket notice.
By law, MNA must deliver a 10-day notice of intent to picket the hospital. The picket is scheduled for noon until 4:30 p.m. Thursday, December 5 outside of the Mayo Mankato hospital.
“If management won’t come to us, we’ll go to them,” said Meyer. “Nurses have a right to sit down with their bosses and negotiate. We will not let this contract be negotiated in the dark.”
The picket is an informational picket and not a work stoppage. Nurses will be picketing during their off hours, and no workers will be missing work.
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